Parents’ experiences of investigations and interventions by Child Healthcare, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Child and Youth Habilitation

ABSTRACT

This study examines parents’ experiences of support, investigation and treatment from child healthcare/psychiatry and habilitation in children with ESSENCE symptoms (neurodevelopmental symptoms). Data were collected through focus interviews, with 13 parents. A conventional qualitative analysis revealed four main categories: confidence, information, competence and collaboration, affecting parents. While waiting for an investigation parents experience anxiety, frustration, lack of information and confidence and doubts about their parenting ability, which also affects the child. The categories were interpreted using Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model to illustrate the effects on the family’s interaction with the context. Parents demand a greater insight and participation in the ongoing process and improved collaboration between the various professionals

Trial registration: Retrospectively registered clinical Trials 2021, PLUSS identifier, NCT04815889.

Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank, PLUSS employees all involved partners and the families that have participated in the project. Thanks to Nina Nauman & Sara Bärnsten Frostemark who participated in the focus groups and analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funding’s from FUTURUM, Region Jönköping County, grant number 910161 and 910441; Futurum - Akademin för Hälsa och Vård, Region Jönköpings läns [910441, 910161, 964569, 964576].